NOVEL NEXT Chapter 357
Izumi’s position in Star’s Flow is the youngest.
Of course, that doesn’t change the fact that she’s a second-year member.
In the five generations that have debuted in Star’s Flow, Izumi is still treated as the senior second-year member, and no one denies the impact she has had on Star’s Flow.
Although she strongly denies it, claiming that it can’t be true, that is an unchanging fact.
However, separating that from her position, Izumi is indeed the youngest.
It’s not about the generation; it’s about age.
Kainoh Izumi.
Real name: Kayanoh Mina.
Age: 22.
Even though she is a full-fledged adult, within Star’s Flow, she is the youngest.
Among the 26 members of Star’s Flow, she is the youngest.
“Did, did I really graduate and two more generations have debuted, and I’m still the youngest…?”
She lamented to everyone saying that, but it didn’t matter at all to the other members.
Even Fantasm and Aster members, who had never had private conversations with her aside from Iro, were already treating Izumi as the youngest because of the stories from their seniors.
No, strictly speaking, it wasn’t strange at all.
No matter how much Izumi may be the senior second-year member, she debuted at the age of 15. That was back when she was a fresh-faced first-year high school student.
Even after seven years, Izumi’s age is just 22—a recent adult, still a naive newcomer to society.
In fact, after realizing that she was still the youngest, Izumi had a conversation with Rena, during which Rena replied with an awkward smile.
“Rather, you could say Izumi debuting in her first year of high school is a special case. Of course, there weren’t no applicants younger than Izumi, but our company doesn’t choose based on age…”
Facing Rena’s perfect reasoning, Izumi couldn’t refute.
Anyway, the fact remains that among the members of Star’s Flow, Izumi is indeed the youngest.
“Um, um… do you all have boyfriends or something…?”
“Huh?”
Izumi bringing up the topic of relationships was quite significant among the members.
“…Huh?”
But she seemed completely unaware of it.
★
“Um, um… do you all have boyfriends or something…?”
“Huh?”
“…Huh?”
Something feels odd.
Did I ask a strange question?
Maybe there’s a member who recently went through a breakup and I just don’t know…
If that’s the case, it would be the worst. It’d be a level of social-awareness failure I’d have to accept.
So, all I can do now is to make a witty remark.
But I have no clue what kind of pun to make…
“Um, um…”
“Izumi-senpai.”
“Ah, y-yes?!”
Trying to shift the atmosphere somehow, I was approached by Kaguya.
Kaguya’s gaze was so cold that anyone could tell, so could it be that she recently went through a breakup?
“Did you happen to get a boyfriend?”
…Huh? Is that not it?
“Or maybe you found a guy you’re interested in?”
“Uh…?”
Kaguya’s deadpan stare is terrifying; can someone please tell me what I did wrong?
“If that’s the case, who is it? Could it be one of the Star’s Flow staff?”
“N-no, um… that’s not it…”
“Huh?”
“I-I have no intention of dating anyone… and I’m not interested in anyone either…”
Kaguya tilted her head in confusion at my answer.
It should’ve been a cute pose, but with those dead eyes, it’s just scary.
“…Then can I ask why you asked that?”
No, it’s not just Kaguya’s issue.
For some reason, after my question, the atmosphere grew colder and colder.
Feeling an overwhelming pressure from all around, it felt like I might suffocate. Please, someone save me.
“Um, um. The thing is…”
“Huh?”
“I just thought everyone here was all cute, so they naturally must be popular… and I suddenly got curious…”
Even with my honest answer, the atmosphere didn’t change.
Kaguya still looked at me with dead eyes, and the pressure in the air hadn’t lightened at all.
So what on earth should I respond with?
No, why do I even have to be in this situation for something I didn’t do wrong…?
No one even bothered to answer my question.
“…What do you think, Suzuha?”
“I don’t think it’s a lie.”
“Is that so?”
Then fortunately, Suzuha’s verdict moments later eased the frozen atmosphere.
Kaguya’s gaze brightened, and the pressure vanished like poof.
…Wait a minute.
It was so natural that I almost overlooked it; is Suzuha my personal lie detector?
“I had cake that my mom brought home recently, but honestly, isn’t chocolate better than cheese?”
“I personally think cheese is better.”
“I’m getting sleepy….”
Um… Why does no one find this weird?
Is it just me who thinks this is strange?
“Is there anything special that happened lately?”
“As far as I know, nothing. But you never know. I don’t always hang out with Izumi.”
And Suzuha? Kaguya?
Could you two please stop sneaking off to the corner and whispering about the earlier topic behind my back?
It’s all true that I have no boyfriend and no interest in dating!
“Uuuh…”
Eventually, no one answered my question, and I still don’t know why the atmosphere turned sour.
Of course, it looks like a cheerful and fun atmosphere… But what if I really made a mistake, and the members were just quietly trying to ignore it for me?
The fear creeps in that maybe, even though I’m feeling better now, it doesn’t mean I’m guaranteed not to mess up in conversation due to my communication impairment.
My body instinctively shrinks, and even if I don’t want to, I find myself looking for cues.
As I’m turning my eyes hither and thither…
“Don’t worry too much. Everyone was just concerned about Izumi.”
“…Eh?”
The one sitting in front of me saying that was Yukari.
Yukari, seeming a bit tipsy, had a faint blush on her face and was holding a can of beer in her right hand.
Her hair, usually tied in a half twin-tail, was loose and flowing down her back, changing her overall look slightly, but her characteristic mischievous smile remained the same.
“Worried, you say…?”
“Yeah. Izumi is the youngest among our members and a bit of an airhead. Plus, she’s never brought up relationship topics, so of course, we’d be worried if something strange happened.”
Is that so?
But me being an airhead? No way! I have a perfectly clear personality!
I think that title should go to Nekoto.
“So? Why suddenly bring up the boyfriend topic?”
“Huh? Oh, I just thought… since all our members are beauties and nice people, it would only make sense that at least one or two of them would have boyfriends…”
“Heh…”
If you just look at Yukari, with her pink-blonde hair, she looks stunning enough to be a model.
Even laughing exuberantly on a broadcast would be a charm point for a woman with that appearance.
It’s completely normal for a beauty in a group like Star’s Flow to have a boyfriend.
Of course, I’m clearly the best among them.
“Isn’t it strange, even for you, Yukari? For a group of beauties like this, me, not having a boyfriend…”
“You really say such things without a care, don’t you…?”
“Huh?”
“Never mind.”
Yukari said that and quietly sipped her beer.
Does she want to drop this topic?
But I’m still curious.
Speculating, there could be two possibilities.
Either the Star’s Flow members are completely uninterested in dating like I am.
Or they’re avoiding relationships for the sake of their VTuber careers.
While either possibility could be true…
“Izumi-senpai!”
“Wha—?! Ts-Tsurusaki?!”
“Here’s some fried chicken.”
“Oh. Th-thank you…”
Just as I was thinking about various possibilities, Tsurusaki suddenly hugged me from behind and fed me fried chicken.
“Izumi, there’s cola here too. Don’t choke.”
“Mmm. Y-yes….”
As I enjoy the delicious fried chicken, the next thing I get to eat is Natsune’s cola.
Then Nekoto fed me some nikujaga, and after that, Kurokami-senpai also prepared some shrimp tempura for me to enjoy.
The sudden attention everyone is giving me must surely be because they noticed I was feeling anxious just like Yukari did.
“Mmm…!”
Realizing that, I shot Yukari a fierce glance that meant, ‘Isn’t it weird that people like this have no boyfriends?!’
“I think I know…”
For some reason, Yukari let out a deep sigh.
…Why?
“Izumi doesn’t have the right to call Nekoto airheaded.”
Why?!
…I see.
Yukari must have a boyfriend. She’s trying to divert my attention with other stories while hiding that.
The sour atmosphere earlier must have been because something bad happened to Yukari in her relationship.
Well, I may be a little dissatisfied that she didn’t share that with me, but it’s understandable that she wouldn’t need to ask me about it since I’ve had zero dating experience.
What a perfect deduction…!
“That’s right, isn’t it?”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about, but I’m sure you’re wrong, so stop with the strange assumptions.”
“Yes ma’am.”
Yukari denied it vehemently, but it’s probably just a paper-thin difference in my deduction.
But for now, I’ll let it go quietly.
There must be things to gain from being unaware…
“No, you’re completely wrong.”
Please, Tsurusaki, don’t casually come back and read my thoughts.